Structural assemblies often include a wide variety of complex joints, brackets and fastener structures, such as to hold and/or affix components in relation to one another. The necessary manufacturing methods required to produce the main structural members are often complex, due to the design of the attachment method used.
As well, the type and number of fasteners required for a structural design are often restrictive, making the overall assembly overly complex, expensive to produce, difficult to assemble, and difficult or impossible to disassemble and/or service.
The manufacture of components for a structural assembly is greatly simplified if the individual components are essentially planar in design. If each component generally comprises a planar shape having a uniform thickness, each component may be manufactured using rapid and relatively simple processes such as stamping and/or torch, laser, or water cutting.
Conventional structural assemblies may comprise planar elements that interlock to form joints between the elements. Typically, to impart additional rigidity to the structure, these joints incorporate a mortise and tenon or tongue and groove mechanism. Attaining sufficient structural rigidity, however, typically requires exacting manufacturing tolerances and/or substantial material deformation upon assembly. The former increases manufacturing costs, and the second greatly limits the choice of suitable materials.
Other prior structures have addressed such issues with shimmed tenons, keyed tenons, and camming hooks. While these mechanisms do provide additional rigidity, they complicate the assembly process. Moreover, depending on the material used, repeated assembly and disassembly may result in permanent material deformation and a reduction in joint rigidity.
Other prior designs have incorporated threaded fasteners. This greatly reduces the above-described simplification of manufacturing, in that the use of threaded fasteners typically necessitates secondary machining, such as the boring of in-plane holes or the tapping of holes created in the primary manufacturing processes.
It would be advantageous to provide a structure, system and process for joining substantially planar construction elements in a manner that is easily assembled, highly rigid, and easily disassembled. Such a development would provide a significant technical advance.
As well, it would be advantageous to provide a structure, system and process for joining construction elements that allows repeated assembly and disassembly without loss of rigidity. Such a development would provide a further technical advance.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a structure, system and process for joining construction elements that does not necessitate secondary machining beyond that achievable by typical planar manufacturing processes. Such a development would provide an additional technical advance.